The invention is a bed with a retractable barrier made up of several bars that horizontally extend along the length of one side of the bed, for example, between the head and the foot of the bed. More specifically, the invention is directed to minimization of the height of the barrier when it is retracted in the lowered position.
A known medical bed (designed to equip hospitals or geriatric centers), fitted with at least one side barrier extending along the side of the bed between two panels forming the head and the foot of the bed. The barrier is composed of several lengthwise bars laid out horizontally, one on top of the other. The barrier must be able to be folded into the low position along the length of and below the upper surface of the mattress allowing the patient to get up and to facilitate the work of healthcare personnel.
Strict standards have been defined to reduce the number of accidents. Also, in the case of a barrier composed of several lengthwise bars stacked at different heights, the space between the bars must not exceed a set value. The height of the highest bar in the position of use is also set. These constraints determine the number, thickness and space between the bars.
In addition, the layout of the bars in the lowered position must be such that the highest level of the horizontal stack of the bars and must not exceed the upper surface level of the mattress.
The invention accommodates all of these requirements; all while proposing a particularly simple and inexpensive barrier structure.
The claimed subject matter includes a side barrier for a bed, the barrier comprising at least two bars adapted to extend longitudinally between two end supports on the bed, the bars, as installed on the bed, forming a substantially horizontal stack moveable to different heights. At least two of the bars have substantially similar profiles and are arranged so that they can vertically overlap each other. The claimed subject matter also includes a bed having such side barriers.
The bars are attached to each other at their ends so that they are deployed together, until a sufficient guard height is attained. The two supports are, more often, the panels forming the head and the foot of the bed.
These two bars form an approximate triangular shape (with rounded angles).
According to one embodiment, the barrier has only three bars. The said two bars are the lower bar and the middle bar. The upper bar has the same profile as these two bars and the lower and higher bars are installed in such a way to be roughly symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane.
The orientation of the higher bar, used to lift or lower the barrier, allows for an ergonomic gripping. Also, the barrier is very compact in the low position; the total height of all of the bars stacked one on top of the other is lower than the sum of the individual heights of the three bars.
In accordance with another feature, vertical rods are attached to the ends of at least one bar and have abutments or stops at their upper ends to suspend the bar from a higher level bar when the higher level bar is at or above predetermined elavation.
Also, deployment of the barrier may be done by maneuvering one bar, typically the upper bar.
Typically, the aforementioned vertical rods are received in two vertical rails.
Each bar has at each end connector engagable in a slide that moves in the adjacent rail. The connector allows for articulation between the end of the bar and the slide to which it is attached.
In one embodiment, the highest bar has a spring loaded bolts that jut out lengthways beyond its ends and are engagable with openings provided at the upper ends of these rails.
By this simple measure, immobilization of the highest bar of the stack is ensured at a certain height, which determines, due to the previously described rods, the positioning of the other bars.
The upper bar has unlocking buttons connected to the bolts by actuation rods which retract the bolts and release the bar to allow the barrier to be lowered.
In another feature, each bar has a telescopic structure. This feature allows for use of the barrier with beds and/or mattresses of varying lengths.
Another feature of this telescopic system is that the barrier may be maneuvered with one hand by acting on each part of the telescopic structure, successively, until one bolt and then the other is engaged in the corresponding openings of the rail.